Wanted: Husband. (But not just yet...)

So Michael and Amy and I have spent quite a bit of time talking and joking about me getting married. For a long time I swore I'd never get married, I'd be single forever. Then I realized that could potentially be a bit lonely, so I thought that maybe I'd consider marriage. Finally I realized that I do, in fact, want to be married someday. First I'd like to own a car, have my own small house (and mortgage!), and own a dog... but eventually, marriage seems like a good idea.

So I guess I'd better figure out what I want! :D I did an exercise with my Czech students, where they had to organize a selection of attributes into things they 'needed' in a boss, and things they 'wanted.' Oddly enough, all of my students that 'punctual' was a characteristic neither needed nor wanted. It just doesn't matter to them! Ending this tangent, I'm going to organize my list in the same way.

Wanted: One future husband. Please read the needed and wanted sections, and decide if you're interested in applying. If so, please send me an email in... oh, say... 2008?

Needed

1. You must be a Christian. This is my number one need, and yet I'm so good at ignoring it! But no more. My beliefs are who I am, and in order to not compromise my identity, I need a husband who also believes. And this isn't an "I'm a Christian, but I don't believe in organized religion" etc. etc. etc. I want someone who's been facing the same struggles and issues I have, and has coped with them by growing more deeply into a relationship with Christ.

2. Intelligent! I like smart people, and you have to be one smart cookie. Being smarter than I am is optional. ;)

3. Compassionate. You had better be a kind and gentle person. I want the kind of guy who can diffuse a tense situation, pick a hurt kid up off the playground and dry her tears, and who knows when he needs to step in and give a helping hand.

4. Humorous. If you don't find Fawlty Towers funny - well... let's just say your chances aren't so good. ;)

5. Gainfully employed/intelligently ambitious. I'm a goal-oriented person. I know where I'm going (generally speaking), and I work hard to get there. I need to be with someone who also has some focus and drive. Also - you better either be working, or be in school. No bums allowed!! :) Also, no psychotic drive to be the absolute best at absolutely everything. No weeks on end of 18 hour days at the office/clinic/school/whatever. I want someone who's actually around occasionally!

6. Assertive. I don't want to deal with passive-agressive nonsense. If something's up, tell me in a nice way, and we can work through it. Also, carry through with your promises. If you tell me you're going to help me fix something, help me fix it. Otherwise, don't volunteer.

7. A reader. If you can't remember the last time you picked up a book, turn around and walk away. Now. Before you get hurt.

8. Nuts about me! You better be crazy about me, or else this'll never work. Nothing else will enable you to put up with my crazy habits, including that of posting lists of what I want in FHs on the internet.

Wanted

*Before we start the wants list... if a guy has all the needs but NONE of the wants - odds are is just isn't going to work!

1. A BIG reader! I love to read, and it's probably a good thing if you LOVE to read, too.

2. Generous. Don't cheap out on tipping the waitress. That $2 doesn't mean much to you, but it means a lot to her. Just hand it over. Also, please give regularly to charities and missions. If you're generous with other people, I trust you to be generous with me, too!

3. Dog lover. I want to own a dog. More specifically, a schipperke. If you don't like dogs, we may have a small issue! If you're willing to work through it, you may still have a chance. ;)

4. Tidy. I don't mind doing most of the housework - I'm kind of a stay-at-home girl at heart. But it'd be great if you pitched in on a regular basis.

5. Good with your hands. Spark plugs need changing? Bathroom cabinet needs to be put up? Sure hope you can do these things.... I come from a family of men who are all 'handy,' so I don't want to phone a pro for all the small stuff!

6. University educated. I find that I generally get on better with people who have post-secondary education.

7. Moderately well-travelled. I like to talk about where people have been, and what they've seen. So it's a plus if you've been around the world a bit. :)

And that's my list. It may be updated should I think of anything else majorly important. Now all of you can keep an eye out for me, and send me your referrals in a year or two (or six!).

Love,
me.

The Stack

Hi all,

not too much is new here. The weather's been lovely, so Michael and I have played some tennis, and I worked yesterday. When I got home, I tried to tidy up my desk a bit, but then realized that I'm currently reading ALL of the books on it. So I thought I'd fill you in on what I'm reading.

Redbook - The July issue of this women's magazine. Apparently, it's going to give me 62 reasons to love summer. This is good "I have 5 minutes before I have to leave for work" reading, as well as "I'm so tired I can barely keep my eyes open but I want to read for a bit" reading.

Tennis Skills: The Player's Guide, Sadzeck - I'm working on refining my forehand, before we go on to the backhand. I need more practice!

When the Body Says No: The Cost of Hidden Stress, Mate - A fascinating book about the intimate mind-body connection. Apparently, a vast majority of people with ALS have similar life histories, including an inability to refuse to do any task. As a person who gets nauseous every time she gets stressed, I know all about my body bossing me around. If you're interested in this one, I also recommend Focusing (Eugene Gendlin), an amazing book that teaches you a technique to tap into your body's knowledge.

The Pale Horseman, Cornwell - The second in a series of books about the Danish invasion of England. Cornwell's an excellent storyteller, and I was sucked right in about his story of the English boy Uhtred who's taken captive by the Danes.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Rowling - I'm re-reading all the Harry Potter books (Rowling just announced that 2 more characters die in the next book - I wonder who it's going to be?!), and I'm now at #4. She also knows how to tell a good story.

The Love of a Good Woman, Alice Munro - A book of short stories that's taking me forever to get through because I'm not really a short story kind of girl. I always like I'm missing something, or that the end comes too soon. Then there's all of that interpretation business (I can't remember how many essays we read of interpretations of A Rose for Emily. Can a cigar not just be a cigar? Does it have to be a phallic symbolization??). So I'm working on it, slow but sure.

The Orchid Thief: A True Story of Beauty and Obsession, Orlean - Another book that's taking me a while to get through. I'm not a gardener by nature, so I'm not super interested in the flowers. The main characters, however, are quite quirky and interesting, so I'm still working through the book.

Where is God When it Hurts? Yancey - A thorough discussion of the theology of pain. Why does God let good people get terminal diseases, and similar questions. It's a tough read; some of the stories make me feel like weeping. But it provides some interesting insights into the "whys" of pain and suffering.

Galatians, Paul - The first in the Go Eat PopCorn books in the Bible (that's how we learned them at Camp Evergreen: Galatians, Ephesians, Phillipians and Colossians), it's a letter to the church at Galatia, warning them about hypocrisy, arrogance (thinking that early Christians who still followed the Jewish customs were better than early Gentile Christians), and false gospels. It also contains the list of what Christians should 'look' like: We should be filled with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentlesness and self-control. I'm working on it!

And that's my reading list. What're YOU reading right now?? On tomorrow's blog: Elizabeth's list of what she wants in a husband. Stay tuned!

Love,
Elizabeth

Wearing my snowflake underpants in an effort to remain cool

Hi all! It's broiling here - 32* yesterday, today, and apparently, tomorrow as well. My days off have therefore been spent either in the airconditioning, or in the shade!

We went over to Nanaimo yesterday. We stopped in Coombes on the way to go to the market that has goats on the roof. Yup. The roof is grassed over, and a few goats live up there. It's very odd. You can get t-shirts that say "Goats on Roof" with a yellow warning sign. Bizarre! Then we went on to Nanaimo, and did some shopping. I got a tennis raquet (yay!), and a new pair of runners, since my old ones had holes in. :( When it cools down a bit this evening, Michael and I are heading over to the Sportsplex to practice.

Michael also picked up Tennis Skills: The Player's Guide. My job is to read it, absorb it, and attempt to stop hitting balls at the guys in the other courts. I think this may be my greatest challenge for the summer!!

You may have noticed that I put my New Zealand, 2008 sidebar. Many thanks to Karlie for the step by step tutorial. I know things are a bit vague, but once I actually start the program, and find out whom to speak to regarding the practica, I'll be able to set some more concrete goals. How exciting!! :D

Well, I think it's time for me to go work on dinner. Michael's making the ribs; my job is the "tinfoil dinner" (potatoes, carrots and onions with butter, cooked in a tinfoil packet on the BBQ), and the sweet corn. I'll catch you all later!!

Love,
Elizabeth

Owch!

You know, I'll be the first to admit that I'm not the most graceful person. I've been known to trip over my own feet, or to be incapable of walking a straight line sober (walking next to me on a sidewalk is like playing bumper cars). But I've never really considered myself 'klutzy.' I'm not usually someone who runs around constantly injuring herself.

That is, until I started working at the Pier. I don't know what it is about that place! I was going to take pics of all my owies, but that seemed a little weird. So I'll just fill you in. I've got a large bruise on the top of my foot, and I have no idea what it's from. I almost never bruise (I scar super easily, but don't bruise!), so I can't figure out how I managed to hit it that hard, and not realize it! Maybe I dropped one of the ice cream tubs on it. Hmm.... Anyhoo, my legs are doing Ok (yay!) but my arms and hands are covered with scratches and cuts. They come from digging through a deep freeze trying to get specific tubs out. My skin gets cold, and then the buckets scratch it. Ow! I shall have many a new scar on my arms by the end of this summer.

The worst one at the moment happened yesterday, though. And I'm not quite sure how it happened (I think I should work on my observation skills!). I was at work, making waffle cones, and suddenly I noticed that my eye felt like it was burning. Ja. suggested washing my make up off, so I went into the staffroom/bathroom (looooong story), and checked it out. I have somehow managed to BURN the skin right next to my right eye. We figure that oil from the deep fryer must have splashed me somehow. I am most grateful that it didn't actually hit me in the eye, as it's sore enough next to it!

So in some ways, it appears that I've become dangerous to myself. :) In others.... Well, I've had 3 tennis lessons now, and can occasionally get a volley going with Michael. Of course, I also occasionally hit the ball right at the guy in the other court, which is embarassing. :D I also went to step class this morning with Amy, and I did alright. No fancy hams today, though - so I couldn't show off my mad skilz. Instead it was this crazy lady with a million tiny little steps for us to do. I got about 869 098 of them down, so not too too bad. I don't think Amy was fainting with shame for bringing me!

Tonight's my last night on a 6 night stretch at work, and I'm so glad it's my 'Friday.' Yesterday was mad busy, and I imagine tonight will be, too. We're rather understaffed, so hopefully the boss shows up to help us out - else it'll be me and the new guy, who has worked for all of 5 1/2 hours! Poor new guy; talk about trial by fire.

Then tomorrow we're going down island to do some shopping. I think I'm going to buy my own tennis racquet. I looked online, and I can take not-for-credit lessons at the U for not a bad price, so I can keep learning.

And Monday - sweet Monday - I'm going to spend ALL DAY in Michael's hammock, reading. Wonderful...

Love,
Elizabeth

I am a Promise/I am a Possibility...

... /I am a Promise,/ with a capital P./ I am a great big bundle of/Potentiality....

Ok, Ok - cheesy Sunday school song aside (I happen to love that song; it's just so perky! Note the alliteration.) I just have to take a moment and tell you guys what's been going through my mind these past couple days. And this'll probably sound totally narcissistic, but it's MY blog, so I guess I can do what I like! So I'll give it to you straight:

It's great to be me!

I don't mean this in an "I'm so great, and everyone should be like me" way, not at all. I mean it in an "I'm so happy to be who I am, where I am" kind of way.

Physically, I'm in the best shape I've been in in years. I lost all that weight in Prague, and I've kept it off for just about 2 months here now. I will NOT be gaining it back! I've started walking more, picked up rollerblading again, started going to the gym occasionally, and am learning to play tennis (I had my second lesson today). I feel great! Energetic, happy - and waaaaaaaay less stressed. When some crappy things happened last week, N. and I went to step class, and I felt so much better afterwards.

Emotionally, I'm more satisfied with who I am as a person than I've ever been before. I love me! I'm smart and funny, I hang out with other smart, funny people, and we laugh and goof off and have a great time. I'm hardworking, and I like my job (the fact that a trained monkey could do it be damned), and the time goes by quickly while I'm there. I'm kind and generous, and enjoy doing stuff to help out others around me, which means that they tend to do the same for me, so I feel like I'm really cared for and loved. Michael and Amy are great people, and I'm loving living with them. I know I'm where I'm meant to be, and I can't get over what a great summer I'm having.

Life-wise, some of my biggest dreams are coming true this year. I've wanted to be an SLP since I was 15 (8 years ago, good grief!), and I've been working towards that goal for 5 years, volunteering, taking certain classes, and working in the area of assessment and intervention. Come Sept. 5, I'm starting my MSc-SLP - and I couldn't be more excited. Plus, I love buying school supplies. Paperclips and binders, here I come! I'm going to find some volunteer work to do as well, hopefully with seniors, since I love them, and I'm looking forward to that, too. I have friends in Edmonton that I can't wait to see, and I know there are new friends in my classes that are just waiting to meet me, and I them, and we'll have a great time.

Also life-wise, I've realized that I love living abroad, and so I'm setting a major goal here: I want to be in New Zealand (or Australia) in May 2008, doing my final practicum. Once I get a sense of what smaller steps need to be taken for that, I'll be putting up a sidebar, so that you guys can help motivate me to reach that goal.

It's so amazing to be a woman in 2006, and to be able to be stepping out into life like this. Just think - 50 years ago, I'd probably have been married with 2 kids by now. Which isn't a bad thing, but it isn't for me. I feel so blessed to live in an age where I can pursue these crazy dreams, and know that everyone that matters to me is behind me, supporting me - not calling me an old maid, and telling me to find a man.

I feel so good these days! So contented, yet excited. So happy with where I am, yet so thrilled about the next step. How fortunate am I? Now I just have to remember to savor every moment.

Love you all,
Elizabeth

Dictionary

So apparently (according to Michael and N.) I'm quite the wordsmyth. I admit, I enjoy inventing new words to suit my current mood, but it can cause problems for those attempting to sort out what on earth I'm actually saying. Here then is the first installment of "Elizabeth's Dictionary." Or perchance "Pistachio's Dictionary."*

Fandangus, adj. - really awesome. So fantastic, you want to do the fandango.

Fark, n. - a more polite version than another four letter word beginning with 'f' that I use when I do things like smash my elbow on the door at work, causing blood and a bruise, and don't want the customers to run away to plug their small children's ears. Also fun because it rhymes with "snark," and I'm quite fond of Lewis Carrol's "The Hunting of the Snark." (Antidiluvian! Another good word).

Redonkulous, adj. - a variation on "ridiculous" used to emphasive the sheer ridiculousness of the situation by using an even more ridiculous word.

Skookum, adj. - a West Coast Salish word that I'm not sure I spelled right. It means "this is more than adequate" or "this is really good." I really like it, and just learned it yesterday, when Michael declared that the wheelbarrow at Home Depot was skookum, and I thought he said gookum, which is the Plains Cree word for grandma. I was confused.

Spritzle, vb. - meaning to lightly rain, most often when the sun is still managing to shine.

That's it for the first installment. I'll keep you posted, lest more should arise.

Love,
Elizabeth

*Tonight at work, I was mouthing off to some of the locals. All of a sudden G. (a rather good looking early-40-something comes up to me and says "Hazelnuts or pistachios?"

"Pistachios, " I replied. "Why're you asking?"

"Given that you seem to be a member of the peanut gallery, I thought you needed a nutty name."

doh!! Terrible, I know. But still rather funny. Given that my last nickname was Wallace, after Wallace and Grommit (apparently my cheery smile reminds people of claymation, boo!) I think Pistachio might be a step up in the world!

Check these out!

Good morning all! I was browsing through the internet (sort of like running through a field of buttercups, only different) and I found the best.thing.ever. Click here to see the amazingness that some brilliant person has created. I'd love to have one at work, for when the person that you're attempting to help is also talking on their cellphone, and giving you dirty looks for having the AUDACITY to ask him/her what kind of ice cream s/he wants, in an attempt to keep the line moving. Oh the glee! The sheer joy I would get! How quickly I would be fired! :D

The weather here has been a bit grey this week, so work's been a bit slow. We listened to the hockey game Monday night, and since all the locals were cheering for Carolina (since Brin-d'amour... whoo, don't think I spelled THAT right... is from CR), and I was cheering for the Oil, there were several heated exchanges over who deserved the Cup. Let's just say that not only did I have clean the bathrooms that night, I also had to do it in a despondent mood over our tragic loss of Lord Stanley's Cup. Uh huh.

I got a short letter in the mail yesterday, which included my friend Kim's grad photo. She has finished her pharmacy degree - yay! Congratulations, my shares-my-love-of-Richard-Gere friend. Your photo is gorgeous, and had you put a return address on the envelope, I would have written back! (I know, I know - I have your address somewhere. I'll find it.)

It's looking sunny this morning (hope it lasts!), so I think the pooch and I will take a walk down the Seawalk, and listen to some music. Well, I'll listen to the music. Jasper doesn't seem so into the Barenaked Ladies or Clap Your Hands, Say Yeah! She's a bit too princessy. I see her more as a Shakira fan... maybe I need to buy the dog her own CD, or maybe I'm just nuts.

Actually, I think I'm mostly just babbling. WHAT? ME? Elizabeth? Babble?! Never!! Yeah, right. Otay, my friends, I'm out!

Elizabeth

The fancy hams tried to kill me!

Hilo my friends. I realized that my more recent posts have been pretty boring; lists of things that I've done. I'm sure you're all pulling at your hair, beating your chests, and wailing "where are the funny stories?" Well, the truth is that there haven't been a lot of funny things happening. But there have been a couple, and so I'll fill you in.

Fancy Hams

As I've mentioned previously, a number of my new friends are gym bunnies, and so I've taken to tagging along with them when they go for various classes or workouts. On Saturday, N. and I decided to check out the step class; it's a level 2-3 (intermediate to advanced), but I've done step classes in the past, and I used to dance (isn't that a funny thought all on its own?!), so I figured I could manage the choreography. Fortunately, the instructor wasn't all that well, so she kept the class at a fairly manageable pace. I'm trucking along, all into the beat right left right left right knee left knee right left right left right ham left ham right left right left. So a knee is when you step up and raise your knee (tricky, eh?), and a ham is when you step up and touch your heel to your butt to work the hamstring. I'm motoring, really into my groove, when all of a sudden the instructor yells "fancy hams!" and all the women start crossing over their steps and making this whole tricksy move deal that is waaaaaaay out of my league. Always an eager beaver, I try it the next time round. I trip over my step, completely lose my mojo, and wind up on the wrong side of the step, out of sync, and totally lost. Wow. Was that fun! The next time round, I stick with double hams. None of this fancy ham business. I don't want any pineapple rings and maraschino cherries on my ham. Just give me plain boring ham. No applesauce required!

So we're trucking along, and every time the instructor bellows "fancy hams!" I stick with the double hams. But I'm feeling guilty. All these other women can do this. If Amy were with me in the class, which she can't be, because she's injured, she'd be doing the fancy hams. In fact, right before I left for class, she told me to "step for her." I'm letting her down! I can't let her down! I must conquer the fancy ham, cherries be damned! I got really focussed, stared at the woman in front of me (who's apparently having the restraining order arranged as we speak...), and step ham cross ham step step. I did it ! I conquered it! I fancied the bejeezus right out of that ham! Go me! (And yes, I realized that I'm elated over one step in an aerobics class. But for those of you who know me well, and know that I'd prefer to be in bed with a book... well, this is a big deal.)

The Idiot Waitress

While Amy's parents were here for the weekend, we lunched at Moxie's, one of my fave restaurants. Things were going well when we first arrived, menus and beverages were not a problem. Concerns began when Amy ordered her sandwich and salad, and the waitress came to doublecheck what kind of soup she'd asked for. Umm - no soup. (No soup for you!) Things got tricksier when Michael requested a carafe of iced tea, as 3 of our party were drinking it. That fancy french must have baffled our waitress - she was so confused that Michael had to let the idea drop!

All this was just the elegant prelude to the coup d'etat: Amy's currently wearing a sling that keeps her arm wrapped practically around her neck to keep it from moving (she fell and broke her collarbone, poor sister of mine). Our waitress steps up to her and says "Oooh - what happened?"

"I tripped over my chihuahua," replied Amy.

"Don't worry about it," the waitress says (Don't worry about it? Don't worry about what? Having a broken collarbone? Being one-armed? The fact that you're an idiot?) "I was voted the klutziest girl in Campbell River!" (Wow, now there's something to brag about. At least me and my fancy hams required a certain skill, a certain finesses, a certain je ne sais quois. Oh right - the french confuses you). I, like, broke my leg playing soccer? (imagine all of this section being spoken in 'up talk' - where simple declarative sentences sound like questions) I ran out on the field? and like tripped over, tripped over, ummm, tripped over the, this (searches for word) thing? (word search didn't go so well I guess. Send search and rescue next time, eh?). And then? After my leg, like healed? I, like, ran out on the field, and like, the first thing I did? I like, tripped over that same thing, and reinjured it!" (Squealed triumphantly, like this is the cherry on her hamsteak).

We all just stared at her. Kudos to Amy who managed to put on her 'concerned, and I care about you' face, and said "wow, that's pretty ... awful." The rest of us just bit our lips and counted the seconds til "the klutziest girl in Campbell River" was sort of out of earshot and we could laugh hysterically at her. Once she left, Amy let loose with the best run-on sentence/imitation I've ever heard:

Hi, I'm Mandy? And my boyfriend's name is Bobby, and he like, works down at the garage, and and and he has a motorbike?and he lets me sit on it and sometimes we ride it together and my favorite color is pink!

So there you go guys. Some funnier stories to keep you entertained - hope you found them moderately humorous. Maybe not :D but at least :). Please, no :|

Loves you,
Elizabeth

Update!

Hey all! I know, long time no post, but I've been a bit busy. Let's see... where'd I leave off? That's right, N. and I had gone out Sunday night to the movie. On Monday, I did laundry and Amy and I went for a walk in Beaver Lodge area, which is absolutely beautiful. I almost stepped on several slugs, which was DISGUSTING, but everything else was gorgeous. Tuesday I worked, Wednesday I worked, Thursday I worked, Friday I went for a walk with a girl from work, I worked, and Saturday morning I went to the step class at the gym (sooo much fun!!!), and I worked. Sense a theme here?? ;)

Yesterday we also had some of Amy's family over for lunch, which was lovely. She and her mum made these cute li'l sandwiches, and lobster bisque which was yummy, and then they had ice cream for dessert, which I scooped (hey, I'm the professional!!).

Today we went for brunch at Painter's Lodge, which is this beautiful resorty place right on the water (Ok, so everything's right on the water here...), and it was truly lovely. Such a beautiful view, and good food and company. Michael took some pictures, so I'll try to get ahold of them, and post them here. Then we came home to watch the France/Korea game (the French so HAD two goals). After than, I went and met a different C. for coffee - also at the Pier. We sat and chatted for two hours! He used to be a chef, so we had to swap our favorite dessert recipes, and he's going back to school in the fall, so we got to moan about student loans together. Don't get any ideas people - I'm not looking for anything more than friends to hang out with! But this coffee was way better than last week's was, so yay! C. suggested we go paintballing sometime - I'm not sure I'm that brave. But it would be cool to try, so maybe I'll give it a shot.

I picked up an extra shift tomorrow, so yay for time and a half, but booooo for 6 shifts in a row. If it isn't raining, Michael's going to finally give me my tennis lesson. I hope it's sunny!! I also have to do laundry... *sigh* I need more jeans! Then I wouldn't have to do so much laundry!! :) So that's what's new with me. I'll try to post sooner next time, and to have some photos for y'all.

Love you!!

Elizabeth

Oh my - what a busy day!

Hello everyone! How was your weekend? Mine's gotten off to a great start (remember: I have Sundays and Mondays off). Rolled out of bed this morning, ate breakfast with M&A, watched Mexico beat Iran in the World Cup (Praguers - did you watch the game Thursday night at the pub? I was watching in the afternoon, so the time change should be about right...), and got cleaned up. Then it was off to grocery shop (I do love grocery shopping), and home to put things away and have some lunch. After that I got a bit dolled up, and went to meet C. for coffee. Ever have one of those coffees where there's just no connection whatsoever? Yup. Good thing I had plans with N. for tonight!

N. and I. Having plans.

N. attempting to be part of the plan having.

N. picked me up at 6, and we drove out to Black Creek to have dinner. We ate on the patio, and this was the view. Fabulous, non? We giggled and chatted our way through some yummy food (mmmm mediterranean pasta), and the headed to the mini-golf course.

View from the table.

I threw in the patio table, just so you'd believe that this is really the view! :D

Whoops! Guess it closes early on Sundays, so that plan fell through. We hit up the Starbucks (shaken iced tea lemonade for me, green tea soy latte for N.), and went to walk down on the docks. We saw a seal! Apparently, they're total pests, but we thought they were cute. Not so much with the guys we ran into...

Seal! I know - it looks like a hump in the water. But he's there!

Two guys from Manitoba stopped us, completely hit on us, took their pictures with us ("so we can tell our friends back home we actually met some girls out here!"), and tried to get us to go party with them. They were nice, and rather funny - but more pest-y than cute. :) Dorks! N. and I SO had plans already - we went and saw Over the Hedge. And let me tell you - kids' movies at 9 PM are swamped - the theatre was crammed!!

Look at all those people. Hi N.!

Why watch the movie when you can watch the audience (of one)?

Gratuitous narcissistic picture. There was no one there besides us! Who cares if we took numerous photos and chattered through the movie? Well - maybe those 2 old guys who showed up shortly after the photo-fest...

The movie was hysterical, and since there was pretty well no one there, we weren't ashamed to bust a gut at the funny bits, and to commentate. Good thing Michael wasn't with us - he hates that!

So N. just dropped me off, and I'm not tired yet (I'm not usually even home from work yet), so I thought I'd put up this post. I promise we will go mini-golfing, and I'll take pictures. Tomorrow is laundry and tidying up, and I'm hoping to get out to the tennis courts to learn the game. We'll see!

You know, I was dreading this summer. I thought it'd be lonely and boring and awful. (Don't take that the wrong way, Michael and Amy! I knew I'd love living with you, but I thought that I'd be way more upset about leaving Prague behind.) However, it's been great so far: new job, new friends, new hobbies - I feel like I'm pushing out of my comfort zone, and really pursuing the kinds of things that make me happy. I miss Prague and my friends - but I'm going to trust that I'll get to see a few of them sometime in the future.

All my love,
Elizabeth

When in Rome...

...start a revolution and rebel against the evil gym classes!! Ok, Ok, so maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration. But the gym class Je. dragged me to today was painful. That might just be because my ab muscles are, ummm… well, non-existent, or it might be because it was run by a nazi boot camp lady with a grudge against my chubby comfortableness! Either way, it finished ½ an hour ago, and I hurt already. Tomorrow’s going to be rough!! I think it’s back to the rollerblades for a couple days; they don’t make it hurt to laugh!

Ja. and I did indeed go for lunch yesterday, and here we are. We ate at Comfort Zone, and it was yummy!! They have this amazing chocolate eruption cake (hmmm… maybe if I quit eating cake, I wouldn’t go to these gym classes. But I love cake! *ponders* The gym it is!) that was absolutely fabulous and decadent, so we quite enjoyed sharing it. Then we went to check another little store in the Willows Market, and I bought a new ball cap.

Like it? It has a horse on it, and it says Well Bred. Mum’s going to LOVE it, I know. It’s so classy! But I love the colour, and I love the horse, and it seemed rather me, so I went with it. I’ll be wearing it out and about when I’m walking or rollerblading, to avoid a 2^nd case of sunburn. Yay for hats! And yay for narcissistic Elizabeths posting gobs of pictures of their cute selves wearing hats… *coughcough*

So my plan for the rest of this morning is as follows: shower, because Jasper licking the salt off of me is making typing difficult; watch TV (I like my lazy mornings, plus I know that most of you watch TV in the evening when you get home from work. I can't do that [nothing good's on at 11.30] so I watch before I go to work; eat lunch (mmm lunch); nap. I'm pooped! Then it's off to work (it's grey and cloudy, so it might be dead), and... um... that's it for today!

Ok. I've rambled on long enough, and if you're still reading, it's only because you're at work and bored to tears (*coughcoughkeelyandlianacoughcough*). Later days!

Your most favoritest ice cream scooper and grammar nazi,

Elizabeth

When in Rome...

Bonjour mes amis! (Bonjour Elizabeth!). Comment ca-va aujourd'hui?

I'm doing well, but I'm tired (as per the usual!) This morning I got up, and N. and I went to the gym. Those of you who know me well know I'm not the gym bunny type, but when in Rome.... Or in my case, when all the girls you work with are super athletes, you better be prepared to step it up a little! So N. and I rollerbladed the Seawall Monday night, and I did that again yesterday morning, and then this morning we went to the gym. Sunday we're minigolfing, and one of these days one of the J's wants to rollerblade with me. Oh, and N. and I are talking about hiking at/in/on (I'm not sure which!) the Ripplerock. So all of a sudden I'm little Ms. Active, and it's weird. But also cool, as I'm not as bored or depressed as I thought I'd be this summer!! :)

Today I'm meeting J. for lunch at the Comfort Zone - a restaurant that our boss owns. Actually... while N. and I were at the gym, we saw the other J... so I'll be seeing almost everyone I work with today, even though it's their day off! Wild, eh? I know, I know - the excitement is electrifying.

So things are good, if not overly thrilling. I'll try to do something exciting this week to tell you all about.

Love,
Elizabeth

PS - all my picture have had my hair up, so here's one with it down. Just so you can see it. And because I'm totally narcissistic, and enjoy plastering my image all over my blog. You know.

Bad News, Good News

Soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo... I got a phonecall from the Sportsplex today. I wasn't chosen for the rec aide job. :( Sad Elizabeth. However, I'm now being considered for a position as an instructor/leader. Instead of working with just one or two kids with special needs, I'd be overseeing the group as whole (mostly average kids, with a few special needs kids with aides). The hours are a bit longer (8 hrs/day as opposed to 6), and the job might go later in the month of August, which would be good. I should hear in a week and a half to two weeks if I get one of these positions. Please pray for me, and send good vibes!

Love,
me.

Oh weekends!

Hi guys!

Today might be YOUR Monday, but it's MY Sunday, and I'm loving it. I slept til almost 11 this morning, and it was a beautiful thing. I stayed up til about 1 last night (this morning?) reading Dan Brown's Angels and Demons. It's awfully similar to The daVinci Code, but it was still interesting, and I loved the ambigrams (likely because I have one [not in the book] as my tatoo[you can see the image here]).

My shift at work on Saturday night was a gong show. Things went well for the first half or so, then all of a sudden - nothing went right!! By the time I went home I'd jammed my thumb in the yogurt machine (I'm missing a chunk right below the nail, hello one more scar!), slipped and almost fallen on my freshly mopped floor, and just generally was ready to turn in my ice cream scoop permanently. But I got to sleep in yesterday morning (Ok, that's nothing special. Given that I usually start work at 3, I can pretty much sleep in whenever I want), then we went and saw The Break Up, which was really funny (and Jennifer Aniston didn't suck! I usually can't stand the woman, but she did a good job), and did the grocery shopping. I'd run out of practically all my bathroom stuff, so I got new shampoo, conditioner, moisturizer - I smell delicious this morning! Then Amy made us special fried rice for supper, and it was super yummy. A much better day than Saturday!

Today I'm hanging out with Jasper, doing laundry, and thinking about lunch. It's a gorgeous day outside, so I think we'll go for walk when I'm done eating. I'm also hoping *fingers crossed* that I'll hear about the job today - and that, of course!, I'll get it. I didn't get a call/message on Friday, so maybe today?? Then, if N. is still up for it, we're thinking of going rollerblading on the Seawall. Hopefully I survive the encounter... I've got the 'going' part down, but I'm not so good with the 'stopping' bit. ;) Klutz!

It's definitely lunch time, and there's some sopsky salad in the fridge calling my name (yup, I still make it, even in Canada! But I can't find feta that's as salty as the balkansky syr. Darn!). So I'll catch y'all later.

Love,
me.

Hurry Up and Wait

Ever get that feeling that all you're doing is waiting for something? The last little while in Prague I felt like I was waiting to come home, then I was at my parents' - waiting to come to CR. Now I'm in CR, waiting to hear about this job, and waiting to go back to school in September.

It's not a bad thing, necessarily. But I tend to get caught up in the waiting, and forget to live life now. So this morning, Jasper and I went for a walk along the ocean again, just to enjoy the sun and the wind and being outside. Death Cab for Cutie came on my MP3 player, and let me tell you, it's perfect music to accompany watching the waves break on the beach. I fell in love with "I Will Follow You into the Dark" this morning (lyrics here). I came home feeling much cheerier and awake than I usually feel after watching Tyra Banks, so maybe it's a good trade-off. (But how will I survive without seeing Tyra telling people about how much fecal matter is in their underpants, no matter how clean they are??! "Girl, next time you're nervous because you're going out with fine man, just remember that he has a QUARTER OF A PEANUT of dookie in his shorts, and you'll be cool!) Then again, maybe it won't be so hard to walk ways from the TV....

I also realized the other day that I've been back in Canadia for over month - it feels like it's been forever. I miss my friends there a lot - but they've been awesome about staying in touch (Marta, I mailed your pictures this week, they should arrive soon!). I love getting up in the morning and having emails from everyone. At first it was really hard to read about the things people were doing because I wanted to be there, doing them, so badly. But as I'm settling in here in CR, it's becoming easier to hear about the TEFLing scene.

Last night N. and I went for coffee at the local Starbucks. Mmmm white chocolate mocha (bila horka cokolada, prosim...). We giggled over everything and talked for over an hour. I love it how, with some girls, I just click. We hardly know each other, but there's no lack of conversation. It was like that with my girls in Prague, too. Girlfriends are the shizzle! I'm currently especially in love with Keely, because we MSN almost every day. I think we're closer now than we were in high school. Did y'all know that she and I have known each other for EIGHTEEN years?! Nuts!

Ok. I'm just rambling now, and I should probably be getting ready for work. Catch all's y'all later.

Love,
the ever loquacious me.

Think, brain, THINK!

Morning all. So I spent all day yesterday looking for interesting things to blog about, and I Swear to Goodness that I had like three ideas when I went to bed. I have currently forgotten all of them. Dagnabit!

Sooo - work is going well. I'm working a lot of evenings, which is kind of a bummer, but not a big deal. I am officially the world's fastest bathroom cleaner. Can I put that on my resume? This is the reason that mum used to pay me an hourly wage to clean her house. I'm thorough, but fast, and it never cost her very much! Also, my job is giving my biceps quite the tone up. I was doing my hair the other morning and thought "holy TOLEDO - where'd the hulk come from??" Perchance I shall take a picture. Perchance that would be just too creepy. I'm also developing that muscle that sits at the bottom of one's thumb. My brother says I'll have 'the claw' and be able to wring your neck singlehandedly. My boss says we girls need to start challenging the men in our families to arm wrestling matches for money. I think that's a good idea....

I should hear about the results of my interview tomorrow. I think it went well, but am trying to not get my hopes up. This is super important to me, but I don't know if I'll get it or not... I'll keep you posted.

Michael's in camp for a few days, so things are quiet around the house. Working evenings means that I don't do too much. Jasper and I go for walks (as you saw yesterday), and I watch daytime TV, and read. It's actually a pretty relaxed lifestyle. Good thing I don't know anyone here - it's not a lifestyle suited to hanging out with others!!

And yet, I believe N. and I are going out for a coffee tonight. I'm working the day shift, and she's off, so we thought we'd meet up. She tried to recruit me for her beach volleyball team, and I just about fell over giggling. I'm SO uncoordinated that I can barely put together a tortilla wrap filled with meat and veggies, and she's suggesting that I put on a swimsuit and run around trying to hit a ball but not the other people? *breaks down hysterically* Oh dear. *wipes tear* I'm alright, really.

So Keely and I were chatting yesterday, and discussing where we're going to be in 5 years, which will be our 10yr high school reunion. I'm thinking I'll own my own car, hopefully own a home (well, Ok, have a mortgage), and be working full-time as an SLP running conversation groups for senior citizens with aphasia or brain trauma. I'd like to be married, but with my luck, that's not going to happen. Where do you guys see yourselves in 5 years?

Eek - must run, the bus'll be here shortly, and I can't miss it! CR has limited bus service... you miss one, you're stuck for an hour!

Ta!

Elizabeth